230,000 Trees take Root Across Rideau Watershed

The 2016 Rideau Valley Conservation Authority tree planting season is complete with some 230,000 trees being planted across the watershed. RVCA is proud to be working with Forests Ontario to help deliver the province’s promise of 50 million trees by 2025.

“We saw over 90 thousand trees planted in the City of Ottawa which is quite impressive,” said Scott Danford, RVCA Forestry Program Manager. “The remainder was planted throughout the upper and middle watershed thanks to our participating property owners.” The RVCA offers private landowners tree planting programs that help landowners get technical advice, planting plans and funding for trees. “We have numerous community-minded partners providing funding to projects to help reduce landowner costs,” says Scott Danford. “We offer planting programs that make it easy and affordable for landowners. At 15 cents a tree — it's a great deal.”

For those considering tree planting in 2017 now is the time to book a free site visit where RVCA forestry staff will meet to discuss the landowner’s objectives and evaluate the best way to reforest the land.

“Every site and every landowner needs something different,” says Danford. “We do our best to design a plan that will see trees survive and meet landowner objectives.”

The program is made possible thanks to the RVCA’s 18 member municipalities, the City of Ottawa’s Green Acres Program, the Province of Ontario’s 50 Million Tree Program, Forests Ontario and numerous private businesses and watershed residents who donate to the tree planting program including Belvedere Vodka, Christopher Simmonds Architect, Comfort Hub, Golder Associates, Hulse, Playfair and McGarry, Little Ray’s Reptiles, LiVE 88.5, Pratt and Whitney, Queen’s Tea Room, TD Friends of the Environment and Vélofix.

We celebrated the planting of our 5 millionth tree in 2015,” says Danford. “At this rate, we hope to reach 6 million by 2020.”

If you are interested in planting trees next spring, now’s the time to get more information or to book a free site visit — contact Scott Danford, RVCA Forestry Program Manager at 613-692-3571 or 1-800-387-5304, ext. 1175. Now is the time to take root and grow a green legacy.